Coal-mine curtain-rod



NORTH.

CURTAIN ROD.

ED OCT. 10. I918.

29, 1921, SHEET 1- Jaye/2Z0) l (1 5/ 27? M WorZ/u I fli-i'arz zey J. M. NORTH.

COAL MINE CURTAIN ROD.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-10.1918.

w w ,6 16 W W m a 7 Z mm l 0 m M a H 5 a m f i 12 h s" N m K 3 .vLJeauu. 7 3 6 m v lwllll'llliilln .n- M. W. m Nu I 1 I I I I I I 1 I 1 I I I H. M// pwf/ JOHN NORTH, OF SPARTA, ILLINOIS.

coAL-Mmn CURTAIN-ROD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Nov. 2e, i921.

Application filed. October 10, 1918. Serial No. 257,626.

justed to any length desired.

A further object of the invention is toprovide means for connecting a curtain to the rods.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for securely. looking or holding the curtain-rod in its operative position.

With the above and similar objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construotion, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter set forth and finally pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In order that those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, may know how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, describe the method of using it in fighting a coal mine fire, and refer by reference characters to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l, is a diagrammatic view of a coal mine showing one method of using my improved curtain supporting rods in setting up a screen to reestablish the ventilating system therein and protect fire fighters'from flames and heat.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of one of my improved curtain rods, the same being shown in its operative position, and supporting a curtain.

Fig. 3, is a detail of the sleeve section of the curtain rod.

rig. 4, is a detail of the member carried by the sleeve section.

Fig. 5, is a detail, in plan elevation, of the member from which the curtain hangs.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 1 designates the top or roof of a working place in a coal mine, and 2 the floor thereof.

In carrying out the aim of my present invention I employ a cylindrical member or sleeve 3 having an internally screw threaded lower end 4, adapted to receive the screw threaded locking pin 5 which is provided with a suitable operating means 6. The upper end of the sleeve member 3 is provided with a reinforcing collar 7, and a set-screw 8.

A member 9 is slidably received within the sleeve 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and held at its adjusted elevations by means of the set-screw 8. The upper end of the member 9 is tapered, or cone shaped, as at 10,

so that the same may be easily forced into the top or roof of a working place or tunnel by turning the screw-threaded member 5 for firmly holding the device in an upright and operative position, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the screw-threaded member 5 is preferably set up on a wooden block or equivalent to act as a lower support there Ior.

A ring-like member 11 is slidably mounted upon the member 9; This ring-like member 11 is held in its adjusted position upon the member 9 by means of the set-screw 12. The ring-like member 11 is provided with a vertically disposed plate 13 having its upper end beveled, as at 14, to provide a tapered upper end, as shown in Fig. 2.

A suitable curtain 15 is adapted to be hung from the plate 13, by folding the upper edge 16 of the curtain over the beveled upper edge of the plate 13, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows:

To run a curtain 15, for fighting a fire or drivingout gas in a coalmine, it is first necessary to set up a number of curtain rods, at certain intervals in the working place, as illustrated in Fig. 1. These curtain rods are set up, as shown in Fig.2. After the telescoping members of the curtain rod have been properly adjusted, set up and locked, the upper edge 16 of the curtain 15 is folded over the beveled end 14 of the plate 13 while the ring like member 11, is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. After this operation the ring like member and ourtain are raised to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2,'thereby bringing the top edge of the curtain up to the ceiling of the workingplace, as is manifest.

The necessity of sealing one or more places in a coal mine and in many instances the whole mine for an indefinite period, is caused by delay in reaching fires and allowing them to get beyond control, and before the water is turned on them, the top of the working place has become very hot, and as soon as the water is thrown on the fire, the rising steam causes the ceiling of the working place to break and fall, thereby releasing the usual forward wood prop and causing the fire men to retreat to the nearest remaining wood prop from which point they must execute their work to the greatest disadvantage. The cavity formed by the fallen coal is usually too high to prop by means of wood timbers, and even props of suflicient length to reach the top could be secured at once it would be impossible to set them because of the extreme heat and smoke as well as danger, and as a result the firemen are soon forced to abandon any further attempt to extinguish flames and to retire and begin preparations to seal up the working place or places. This sealing of working places is not necessary where my improved curtain rods are used.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the reference character A designates the hoisting shaft, or down cast, while the air shaft, or up cast, is designated The working places are designated C and D. These main w'orking places are connected at intervals with the usual connecting passages EL The curtain, shown as set up in Fi 1, starts at the near corner designated 1? of the passage E and extends into the working place C, near one of the side walls thereof, as shown, so that the air may rush down to space F, around the end of the curtain 15, where the fire is located, to carry of? smoke and gas through the passages G, E and D to the up cast, or air shaft B.

When a fire has been extinguished or gas removed from any working place of a coal mine, the curtain may be lowered and removed from its supporting curtain rods and the rods readily and easily removed and stored away until needed again.

In fighting mine fires, only a small percentage of time is required to reach the scene of the fire by the use of the curtain rods herein described that would be required to reach the fire where wood props are employed in running curtains, thereby enabling fire fighters to reach the scene of the fire mine, exposure of life and limb of fire fight ers, and-possible loss of life.

In hanging curtains on wood props, it is necessary to nail the curtain to the props and when they are removed they are simply torn loose, thereby damaging the curtain and rendering it unfit for further use after it has been run a few times, but in using the herein-described curtain supporting rods, the curtain is not damaged, as it merely lets go from its holder when the curtain supporting ring 11 is released from its locked posi tion.

The many advantages of the herein described mine curtain rod will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

I am aware that various minor changes in the construction of the several parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, hence I wish it to be clearly understood that I reserve the right to make any such changes, or modifications as mayfairly fall Within the scope of my invention when fairly construed.

What I claim is: p

A coal mine curtain rod comprising a tubular lower member, a longitudinally adjustable upper rod member having a pointed end having telescopic relation with the lower rod member, a set screw for retaining the upper rod member at any adjusted elevation,

a ring member longitudinally adjustable on said upper rod member, a set screw for retaining said ring member at adjusted positionialong said upper rod member, an upwardly extending ',curtain supporting lip fixed to said ring member and a screw threaded member carried in the lower end of the tubular lower member which extends below the lower edge thereof to permit locking of the curtain rod in a position between the floor of a working place in a coal mine and the roof thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to the specification.

JOHN M. NORTH. 

